Textile Recycling Kickoff Event
Saturday, September 17th Recycling Event including…Rigid Plastics, Textiles, Building Materials, Clothes, Food, Personal Care Products, Bicycles…Here’s the information about textiles…
Textile Recycling Kickoff Event
What is in your trash that doesn’t need to be there? According to Karen Bouquillon, Northampton’s Waste Management Supervisor, “stuff like ripped jeans, stained shirts and coats with broken zippers. New opportunities for recycling textiles have become available…so now, they’re too good to waste.”
On Saturday, September 17th, the Department of Public Works and the Salvation Army will accept a wide range of materials for free from residents and small businesses at the Smith Vocational High School from 9-12.
“One of the categories we are targeting is textiles, especially items that are unsuitable for reuse or resale by charities and thrift shops. This program is called “Bag it and Tag it” because this material should be sorted and bagged separately from quality clothing donations. Special tags will be distributed at the event that can be used on an ongoing basis for this purpose. Our goal is to reduce disposal costs for residents and to divert reusable and recyclable materials from the landfill as much as possible ” Bouquillon said.
Americans piled up 12.7 million tons of textile waste in 2009, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and more than 85% ended up in landfills or incinerators. A recent waste characterization study in Springfield revealed that textiles account for 8.4% of the waste stream.
Charities have contributed to the perception that only good to excellent quality clothing can be reused. According to Joe DeFeo, spokesman for the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association, textile recovery has been limited because consumers think that stained, faded, or damaged clothing and other textiles can’t be recycled. The fact is, there is a use for almost everything. … any textile in your house can be recycled in some way, as long as it is clean and dry.” Old textiles can be used as wiping or polishing cloths in commercial or industrial settings. Textiles that are unsuitable for use as rags are reprocessed into fibers for furniture stuffing, upholstery, insulation, soundproofing, carpet padding, asphalt additives, and building materials.
Captain Don Sanderson of the Salvation Army in Springfield concurred that separated, clean and dry textiles from the September 17th collection will benefit their organization, but he added, “We continue to rely on contributions of clean, gently used clothing and shoes to accomplish our charitable work in the region.”
For the “Bag it and Tag it” textile collection on 9/17/11 at Smith Vocational HS, please bring: old and damaged clothing, sweaters, blankets, socks, sheets, towels, quilts, curtains, fabric and knitting.
No wet/moldy/mildewed fabric, plastic, leather, down, electric blankets, underwire bras, nylon jackets, curtains with metal hooks or plastic lining or sleeping bags with long zippers.
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